Stop a moment. Take a breath. You know what? It’s good to be here. It’s quite an accomplishment.

Now that you’re here, let’s take a look around and see what you brought with you to this point in your life.

Your stuff, your activities, the people in your life, and the ways you see the world are all here with you. We’re going to look them over and see what you’d like to bring with you on your trip in 2015. We’re going to sort out the things that feel like dead weight and won’t be used.

Just as you take a bath or shower to remove the dirt from your body so you feel fresh, you can clutter bust regularly to remove what’s no longer serving you, so you can love and enjoy the things that matter to you now.

Start with some support by drinking a glass of water so you’re hydrated. Then have a healthy snack. Next, get a box of trash bags and take a seat amidst your stuff.

Look around. Notice what’s there. Curiosity is a powerful ingredient in clutter busting. There’s no judgment. You’re really interested to see what you’ve got living around you.

Say to everything in your living space, “Hi, everybody. It’s me! I want to thank you all for being a part of my life last year. You all made a difference. I’m getting ready for the new year ahead of me. I want to sort out anything that has helped in the past but won’t be necessary this year. Please help me in this process.”

As you let your life inform you of what needs to stay and what needs to go, you’ll discover some things that once worked for you but don’t anymore. You’ll become aware of activities that you thought would benefit you but never did. You’ll remember things, people, and activities that made your life a lot harder, but for some reason you didn’t want to let them go.

They are all worth honestly noticing and questioning. They are all fair game. As you move through each, ask the magic question: “Do I want to bring _____ into the new year with me? Is having, doing, and/or being this going to make 2015 easier and more pleasurable?”

You’re not asking to blame or shame yourself. You’re asking because you really want to know. You want to find out if something is in the way of you enjoying your life as you move forward.

You’ll know when something no longer fits your life: It makes you feel tired and confused. You don’t need it, but you worry that if you let it go, you might need it. You think you should keep it. You want to put it in a “maybe” pile. Or you find yourself defending it — it was a gift, it cost a lot, etc.

When something fits your life, it’s a simple, “Yes.”

As you let something go (putting it in a bag for trash, charity, or recycling), you can tell yourself that you are creating space for something new, fresh, and supportive to come into your life this year. Who knows in what amazing ways the Universe will surprise you?!

Work for a half hour or an hour, then stop and take a break. Check in with yourself. Do you need a drink of water? Do you need to step outside to get some fresh air? Ask yourself if you need to stop and come back to the letting-go process another time or day. This process won’t be finished in one day. You want to be kind to yourself this year. Work at a pace that supports you.

If you decide to stop, bring whatever you are throwing out to the respective trash or recycling cans, and bring any items you are donating to a charity. Also, put in a new place anything that you are keeping but that belongs in a different space in your home. It feels good to complete things.

During this process, you may receive some insights about your life. Maybe you’ll become aware that you don’t like doing certain activities that up till now have been a part of your life. Some activities stop serving us. It’s okay to say no to something that is now making you tired or taking up your valuable time. Remember, it’s your life. You get to say what stays and goes.

Here’s an important tip: you can clutter bust ideas. So right now, clutter bust the idea of doing clutter busting perfectly! I haven’t had a single client for whom holding onto this idea was useful.

When you show up, ask, and see what happens, you open yourself up to the insight and positive changes that will come. The benefits will surprise you. At the very least: new energy, new purpose, and clarity. At the most: there is no limit!

# # #

Brooks Palmer, author of Clutter Busting and Clutter Busting Your Life, has been helping clients clear clutter from their homes, garages, offices, and lives for over fourteen years. He also performs stand-up comedy regularly in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and has appeared in several commercials and films. Palmer divides his time between Chicago and Los Angeles.